A barangay (/bɑːrɑːŋˈɡaɪ/ Brgy. or Bgy.; Filipino: baranggay,
[baɾaŋˈɡaj]; also pronounced the same in Spanish), formerly
referred to as barrio, is the smallest administrative division in the
PhilippinesPhilippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district or
ward. In metropolitan areas, the term often refers to an inner city
neighbourhood, a suburb or a suburban neighborhood.[1] The word
barangay originated from balangay, a kind of boat used by a group of
Austronesian peoplesAustronesian peoples when they migrated to the Philippines.[2]
Municipalities and cities in the
PhilippinesPhilippines are subdivided into
barangays, with the exception of the municipalities of Adams in Ilocos
Norte and
Kalayaan, PalawanKalayaan, Palawan which each contain only one barangay. The
barangay itself is sometimes informally subdivided into smaller areas
called purok (English: zone), barangay zones consisting of a cluster
of houses, and sitios, which are territorial enclaves—usually
rural—far from the barangay center. As of June 2015[update], there
were 42,029 barangays throughout the Philippines.[3]

When the first Spaniards arrived in the
PhilippinesPhilippines in the 16th
century, they found well-organized independent villages called
barangays. The name barangay originated from balangay, a Malay word
meaning "sailboat".[2]
The first barangays started as relatively small communities of around
50 to 100 families. By the time of contact with Spaniards, many
barangays have developed into large communities. The encomienda of
1604 shows that many affluent and powerful coastal barangays in Sulu,
Butuan, Panay,[4] Leyte and Cebu, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasig, Laguna,
and
CagayanCagayan River were flourishing trading centers. Some of these
barangays had large populations. In Panay, some barangays had 20,000
inhabitants; in Leyte (Baybay), 15,000 inhabitants; in Cebu, 3,500
residents; in Vitis (Pampanga), 7,000 inhabitants; Pangasinan, 4,000
residents. There were smaller barangays with fewer number of people.
But these were generally inland communities; or if they were coastal,
they were not located in areas which were good for business
pursuits.[5] These smaller barangays had around thirty to one hundred
houses only, and the population varies from one hundred to five
hundred persons. According to Legazpi, he founded communities with
only twenty to thirty people.
Traditionally,[6] the original “barangays” were coastal
settlements of the migration of these
Malayo-PolynesianMalayo-Polynesian people (who
came to the archipelago) from other places in
Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia (see
chiefdom). Most of the ancient barangays were coastal or riverine in
nature. This is because most of the people were relying on fishing for
their supply of protein and for their livelihood. They also traveled
mostly by water up and down rivers, and along the coasts. Trails
always followed river systems, which were also a major source of water
for bathing, washing, and drinking.
The coastal barangays were more accessible to trade with foreigners.
These were ideal places for economic activity to develop. Business
with traders from other countries also meant contact with other
cultures and civilizations, such as those of Japan, Han Chinese,
Indian people, and Arab people.[7] These coastal communities acquired
more cosmopolitan cultures, with developed social structures
(sovereign principalities), ruled by established royalties and
nobilities.
During the Spanish rule, through a resettlement policy called the
Reducción, smaller scattered barangays were consolidated (and thus,
"reduced") to form compact towns.[8][9] Each barangay was headed by
the cabeza de barangay (barangay chief), who formed part of the
PrincipalíaPrincipalía - the elite ruling class of the municipalities of the
Spanish Philippines. This position was inherited from the first datus,
and came to be known as such during the Spanish regime. The Spanish
Monarch ruled each barangay through the Cabeza, who also collected
taxes (called tribute) from the residents for the Spanish Crown.
When the Americans arrived, "slight changes in the structure of local
government was effected".[10] Later,
RuralRural Councils with four
councilors were created to assist, now renamed
Barrio Lieutenant; it
was later renamed
Barrio Council, and then
BarangayBarangay Council.[10]
The Spanish term barrio (abbv. "Bo.") was used for much of the 20th
century until 1974, when President
Ferdinand MarcosFerdinand Marcos ordered their
renaming to barangays.[11] The name survived the 1986 EDSA Revolution,
though older people would still use the term barrio. The Municipal
Council was abolished upon transfer of powers to the barangay system.
Marcos used to call the barangay part of Philippine participatory
democracy, and most of his writings involving the New Society praised
the role of baranganic democracy in nation-building.[12]
After the 1986
EDSA RevolutionEDSA Revolution and the drafting of the 1987
Constitution, the Municipal Council was restored, making the barangay
the smallest unit of Philippine government. The first barangay
elections held under the new constitution was held on March 28, 1989,
under Republic Act number 6679.[13][14]
The last barangay elections were held in October 2013.[15] Barangay
elections scheduled in October 2017 were postponed following the
signing of Republic Act number 10952.[16] The postponement has been
criticized by election watchdogs and in both the Philippine Congress
and Senate.[17] The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting
considers the postponement a move that would "only deny the people
their rights to choose their leaders."[18]
Organization[edit]

The modern barangay is headed by elected officials, the topmost being
the
Punong BarangayPunong Barangay or the
BarangayBarangay Chairperson (addressed as Kapitan;
also known as the
BarangayBarangay Captain). The Kapitan is aided by the
Sangguniang BarangaySangguniang Barangay (
BarangayBarangay Council) whose members, called Barangay
Kagawad ("Councilors"), are also elected.
The council is considered to be a
Local Government UnitLocal Government Unit (LGU), similar
to the Provincial and the Municipal Government. The officials that
make up the council are the Punong Barangay, seven Barangay
Councilors, and the chairman of Youth Council or Sangguniang Kabataan
(SK). Thus, there are eight (8) members of the
Legislative Council in
a barangay.[19]
The council if in session for a new solution or a resolution of a bill
votes, and if the counsels and the SK are at tie decision, the Captain
uses his/her vote. This only happens when the SK which is sometimes
stopped and continued. In absence of an SK, the council votes for a
nominated
Barrio Council President, this president is not like the
League of the
BarangayBarangay Councilors which composes of barangay Captains
of a municipality.
The
BarangayBarangay Justice System or
Katarungang Pambarangay is composed of
members commonly known as Lupon Tagapamayapa (Justice of the peace).
Their function is to conciliate and mediate disputes at the Barangay
level so as to avoid legal action and relieve the courts of docket
congestion.[20]
Barangay electionsBarangay elections are non-partisan and are typically hotly contested.
BarangayBarangay Captain are elected by first-past-the-post plurality (no
runoff voting). Councilors are elected by plurality-at-large voting
with the entire barangay as a single at-large district. Each voter can
vote up to seven candidates for councilor, with the winners being the
seven candidates with the most number of votes. Typically, a ticket
usually consists of one candidate for
BarangayBarangay Captain and seven
candidates for the Councilors. Elections for the post of Punong
BarangayBarangay and barangay kagawads are usually held every three years
starting from 2007.
The barangay is often governed from its seat of local government, the
barangay hall.
A tanod, or barangay police officer, is an unarmed watchman who
fulfills policing functions within the barangay. The number of
barangay tanods differ from one barangay to another; they help
maintain law and order in the neighborhoods throughout the
Philippines.
Funding for the barangay comes from their share of the Internal
Revenue Allotment (IRA) with a portion of the allotment set aside for
the Sangguniang Kabataan. The exact amount of money is determined by a
formula combining the barangay's population and land area.

Local government hierarchy. The dashed lines emanating from the
president means that the President only exercises general supervision
on local government.

1 Used by ten or more countries or having derived terms. Historical
derivations in italics.
See also: Census division, Electoral district, Political division, and
List of administrative divisions by country